This invention relates to the field of terminals for electric heating elements, in which the elements comprise a resistance coil supported within a frame on insulating grommets or disks, and with a terminal projecting outwardly of the frame for connection to an electrical source, the terminal being connected inwardly of the frame to the resistance coil.
In prior art devices, such means as bolts were used as terminals, with the threaded shank extending through the central bore of a two-piece insulating member such as mated ceramic discs and through the aperture of the frame of the heating element sandwiched between the ceramic disks. Lock nuts were provided on each side of the two-piece insulating member for tightening thereagainst to securely clamp the disks together with the frame therebetween, and additional lock nuts were then threaded on the bolt shank to fasten the supply conductor to the bolt end extending outwardly from the frame and to fasten the resistance coil wire to the other bolt end extending inwardly of the heating element frame. Such complicated terminal means are both expensive and time consuming to properly install. A problem also arises with such terminals when the lock nuts are not properly tightened, resulting in a high resistance connection. The lock nuts may even become loose enough for either the external supply conductor or internal resistance wire to become electrically disconnected from the terminal.
The present invention overcomes such disadvantages and problems.